I think it’s fine if All-Star voting doesn’t rigorously track a player’s actual NBA skillz. Half the game, after all, is defense but that’s not what the All-Star game is all about. So bias toward scorers, bias toward guys who make cool plays, etc., I can live with it all. But Barry Petchesky observes that China is ruining everything in a way we really can’t live with. Right now, Tracy McGrady is scheduled to be voted in as a starting guard even though he hasn’t played at all this year:

You see, the Chinese really like Yao Ming. And because of this, they really like the Rockets. So they’re punching their ballots in force for anyone who wears a Rocket jersey.

To wit: Trevor Ariza is sixth in the voting at forward, despite having the second worst FG% in the NBA. Luis Scola is eighth in the voting. And Aaron Brooks is ahead of Brandon Roy, Deron Williams and Chauncey Billups at guard.

This is no good. US officials have had no luck hassling China about its currency policy, but surely we can get something done about the ridiculous pro-Rockets bias of their voters. There’s an urgent need for China to become a responsible member of the international community, and this sort of thing does not inspire confidence.

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